Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan on Monday denied reports that actor Prem Kumar was removed as the chairman of the State Chalachitra Academy for expressing views critical of the ruling Left front.
The LDF government had appointed Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty as the new chairman of the Academy last week.
A section of media reported that Kumar, who was serving as the interim chairperson of the Academy, had been removed after he had made certain remarks supporting the agitation of ASHA workers, which didn't go well with the CPI (M) leadership.
However, Cheriyan strongly refuted the claim, saying Prem Kumar's service as the vice chairman and then as the chairman of the Academy was remarkable.
Describing the actor as a "crystal clear Left sympathiser", the minister also said he had never heard him express any "anti-left" opinion.
"His tenure is over. Naturally, it is the responsibility of the government to select the new office-bearers. So, the new persons have been chosen and an order was issued in this regard. There is nothing strange in that," Cheriyan told reporters here.
Asked about Prem Kumar's statement that he was not informed about the removal, the minister said it was the duty of the Academy.
The minister said he believed that the film academy authorities had informed him about it.
Cheriyan's remarks come after a section of netizens criticised the government on social media for removing Prem Kumar from the Academy and called the move "politically motivated".
The actor had also made it clear that he didn't get any official invite to attend the programme in which Pookutty had taken charge as the new chairman of the state film academy.
As per the government order, Pookutty would serve as the chairperson, while actress Kuku Parameswaran would be the vice-chairperson.
